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March 17, 2003

 

 Dear Member:

 

Our Board of Trustees has approved legislation to be introduced in the 2003 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature to provide for the purchase, at a reduced cost, of service credit of up to four (4) years of regular military service or up to two (2) years of non-regular military service that was rendered during the Vietnam Conflict, January 1, 1959 through December 31, 1975.  Any previously purchased military service credit will reduce the amount of service eligible for purchase under this legislation.  Credited military service shall not exceed a combined total of 4.00 years.

 

Regular military service means any state or federal full-time active duty military service.  Non-regular military service means any state or federal military service, that is not regular service, for which retirement points are assigned for participation in such service, and shall include duty served in the state national guard or any reserve component of the United States armed forces.

 

The opportunity to make such purchase is proposed to be available during a two-year period, from July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2005.  The legislation shall be applicable only to active contributing members of the Fund as of July 1, 2003, who have completed a minimum of six (6) years of credited service as of that date.  The legislation shall not apply to retired or deferred vested members or members participating in the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (old DROP).

 

In a search of our records, your name was identified as a possible candidate to purchase military service credit under the proposed legislation. Our records do not contain information regarding any military service that our members may be entitled to purchase. Therefore, in order for our actuary to determine the actuarial/financial impact to the Fund of the proposed legislation, and to increase chances of approval, it is necessary for us to obtain information regarding the number of members eligible to make the purchase and the amount of military service credit involved.  If you are indeed eligible to purchase military service credit as proposed, we ask that you take the time to complete and return the survey card.

 

IN THE EVENT THE PROPOSED MILITARY SERVICE PURCHASE LEGISLATION IS PASSED AND BECOMES LAW, ONLY THOSE MEMBERS WHO RESPOND TO THIS SURVEY WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO PURCHASE THE MILITARY SERVICE CREDIT AS OUTLINED.  YOUR RESPONSE TO THIS SURVEY WILL NOT OBLIGATE OR COMMIT YOU TO MAKE THE PURCHASE.

 

Please complete the enclosed information card and return it to our office to be received no later than Monday, April 14, 2003 [extended deadline].  Please list all information as accurately as possible.  Dates of military service should be taken directly from your military papers, not from memory.  In the event the legislation is passed and becomes law, those members who respond to this survey will receive another notice requesting a copy of their Form DD214 listing their inclusive dates of active military duty (to purchase regular military service), or an official copy of the record of their retirement points as maintained by their respective military branch (to purchase non-regular military service).

 

Your cooperation and attention to this request is appreciated.  You may contact our office for assistance, if needed.